Toy stick horse



June 1944- R. G. HARLESS I TOY STICK HORSE ,Filed April 26; 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented June 13, 1944 TOY STICK HORSE Roy G. Harless, Gillette, Wyo., assignor of onehalf to J. W. Baker, Sheridan, Wyo.

Application April 26, 1943, Serial N0. 484,539

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in toy stick horses which have a moveable head, and more specifically to toy stick horses having a replica of a horses head pivotally connected to a stick and being provided with means to move said head when the rear end of said stick is drawn along the floor.

The objects of my improvement are as follows:

First, to facilitate the moving of the head to such a degree that practically not more eilort on the part of a child who rides this stick horse is required than is necessary for the riding of a stick horse which has a stationary head.

Second, the provision of a device of the character described which is light in weight, simple in construction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which such toys are usually subjected;

Third, to make it possible to manufacture a device of the character described primarily of wood, of material from regular stock, and of parts which can be purchased at a very low price since they are made by mass production.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of operation or construction or novel combination of parts in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawing whether within or without the scope of the appended claim and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of the device partially shown in section on the line I| of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A stick 1 of wood or of any other suitable material is provided at its front end with a bar 2, to which the replica of a horse head 3 is pivotally connected by means of a pin or rivet 4. A collar 5 of leather or the like is attached to the front end of the stick I to prevent the fingers of the child who uses this toy from getting rubbed by the edge of the moving head 3. I prefer to make the head 3 of two thin plates 5 and l of woodfor instance/of A; inch three ply board-which have the outline of a horses head, which may be painted and provided with eyes 8 and with ears 9, and which are spaced apart by means of a ledge It) of any suitable material, for instance of Masonite board. In order to facilitate the swinging of the head 3, I prefer to provide balance weights of iron, flat pieces of heavy stone, or the like, between the plates 6 and 1 at the places II and 12 indicated in Fig. 1.

To the rear end of the stick I is secured an axletree l4 of wood or similar material, which is provided with a recess I5 in its center and which has longitudinal channels l6 and I! at its lower part. The channels 16 and I! are provided with concave recesses l 8 so that screw eyes Hi can be screwed conveniently into the top of the channels 16 and I! in such a manner that these screw eyes I9 protrude only slightly over the lower edge of the axletree I 4, as may be seen in Fig. 3. Two axles 20 and 2| rotate in the eye parts of the screw eyes I9 and are provided with squared shoulders 22 and 23, which are imbedded into the wheels 25 and 21 so that the axles 2i) and 2| are taken along when the wheels turn. The axle 29 is prevented from excessive lateral movement by a washer 28 and a nut 29 or in any other suitable manner. The axle 2| is provided with a crank 30 to which a connecting rod 3! is pivotally secured. The connecting rod 3| engages a rod 32, which is adapted to be reciprocated, which is guided by screw eyes 33 attached to the stick I, and which is connected to the head 3 by means of a pivot bolt or rivet 34.

It will be obvious thatwhen the wheel 21 turnsthe rod 32 will be reciprocated by means of the crank 3!) and the connecting rod 3|; and the head 3 will swing up and down, around the pivot 4, as is indicated in Fig. l in dash and dotted lines.

The rods 3i and 32 are made preferably of steel wire, and their ends are bent so as to form eyes 35, 36, 31, and 38, which serve as connecting links as shown in the drawing.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be obvious that various omissions and substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claim.

What I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

A toy stick horse comprising a horses head which consists of two thin plates having the outline of a horses head and being spaced apart by means of a ledge attached along the major part of the edges of said plates; balance weights secured between said plates; a stick to the front end of which said horses head is pivotally secured; an axletree secured to the rear end of said stick; two rotating axles held in screw eyes which are secured to longitudinal channels at the lower part of said axletree and extending through said channels; two wheels each of which being secured to one of said rotating axles; a

crank secured to one of said rotating axles; a rod adapted to be reciprocated being pivotally connected to said horses head and being guided by screw eyes which are secured to said stick; and a connecting rod adapted to connect said crank to said reciprocable rod.

ROY G. HARLESS. 

